2001 Wisconsin State Trails Network Plan
Trails Network for Northern Region

Numbers on this draft map refer to proposed trail segments described below it. Click on a number to read the trail description.

This map is available in PDF format [PDF 278KB] for better printing.

Existing & Approved Trail Network Northern Region

Potential Network for Northern Region

Northern Region

The 18-county Northern Region could be well described as the "land of lakes." Many miles of trail in the region take advantage of this scenic landscape. State-owned rail trails account for about 260 miles of the region’s trail, including the Bearskin, Tuscobia, Wild Rivers, Saunders, and Gandy Dancer State Trails. County-owned and operated rail trails add another 170 miles. In addition, hundreds of miles of other trails exist on federal, state, and county lands.

The following describes potential trail corridors in the region that would fit into a state trails network. A number of segments in these corridors may become available within the next several years, opening possibilities for developing new, extensive rail trails to connect the northern part of the state both east-west and north-south.

Segment 2—Forest Co. to Michigan, Nicolet Trail (Northern Region)

The DNR has partially acquired the Nicolet State Trail corridor from Gillett to Wabeno. The rest of the rail corridor in Forest Co., from Cavour to Wabeno, remains largely DOT-owned, with portions used for private rail by term agreement. The tracks from Wabeno to Laona have been removed as well as the tracks north of Cavour to the Michigan border, and this grade may be available for trail acquisition in the near future. A large segment of the corridor falls within the boundaries of the Nicolet National Forest. Numerous streams, lakes and wetlands lie adjacent to the grade as the scenic corridor runs north from Forest County to Florence County. See the Northeast Region section for a description of the southern reaches of this proposed trail.

Segment 12—St. Croix - Mississippi River Corridor (Northern Region)

A connector along highway corridors to the south end of the Gandy Dancer State Trail near St. Croix Falls would link with West Central Region's Segment 12 at the St. Croix/Polk county line. The segment includes State Highway 35 in St. Croix county and a combination of roadways in Polk County.

Segment 13—Dresser to Michigan

This 250-mile-long east-west corridor consists of rail line, the Cattail Trail, which is owned by the DNR and operated by Polk and Barron counties, and an optional highway right-of-way. It has the potential to link with the Gandy Dancer, Wild Rivers, and Bearskin-Hiawatha state trails, the Pine Line Trail, Nicolet State Trail, Ice Age National and State Trail, and three proposed segments—2, 15, and 17. It also would link with the proposed Hiles to Crandon snowmobile trail in Forest County. The use of roadways in Oneida and Forest counties are an alternative to the rail line. The rail line from Dresser to Almena was abandoned and negotiations are ongoing between the county and the railroad to acquire the segment for trail purposes.

The corridor runs from a hilly, rolling agricultural landscape in Polk Co. through more level agricultural and forested areas in Rusk and Price counties, to predominately lake and pine forest landscapes in Oneida and Forest Counties.

The short 14-mile segment from Rhinelander to Monico connects the Tri-County Trail originating in Bayfield County to the Michigan corridor by way of the proposed Washburn to Rhinelander trail corridor. Connection can also be made to the Mountain Bay Trail to the south through the proposed Langlade corridor.

Segment 14—Bayfield to Hudson, (Northern Region)

The abandoned rail grade from Hudson to Spooner could link the Wild Rivers and Cattail trails and connect to trails in Minnesota near the state line. The corridor from Spooner to Hayward is an active rail line. The proposed trail continues on old, abandoned rail grade from Hayward to Bayfield. The Hayward to Bayfield portion of the corridor would connect to the Tri-County Recreational Corridor and link to Hayward area trails already in place. Parts of it, particularly in the Chequamegon National Forest and county forests, are used now as snowmobile trails. Much of this corridor runs through typical northern lakes and forest landscapes.

Segment 15—Ashland to Rhinelander

Beginning in Ashland and extending southeast to Gurney near the Ashland/Iron county line, this potential corridor includes a section of abandoned rail line mostly owned by the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

From Gurney to Hurley, Iron County's 22-mile Iron Horse Trail is part of this segment.

The section from Hurley to Manitowish, a rail line abandoned in the early 1980s, is a state-funded snowmobile and ATV trail for which Iron County has oral or written easements. The county is interested in improving the trail for mountain biking.

From Manitowish, a potential trail corridor extends southeast through Vilas County to the City of Rhinelander. The route includes abandoned rail corridors, roadways and existing trails in the Northern Highland State Forest. The segment in Iron County is an existing snowmobile trail. Iron County would like to cooperate with the state forest to repair bridges so the trail can be opened for bicycling.

Part of this segment includes a proposed loop route on abandoned rail line that from Manitowish to Woodruff. From Woodruff, the loop extends north to Boulder Junction and returns to Manitowish. In addition to abandoned rail line, the loop consists of Boulder Junction's community trail, roadways and/or existing forest trails. A spur connector to Sayner is also proposed using forest trails and/or low-use roadways.

Continuing south, a route through Woodruff/Minocqua would connect with the Bearskin/Hiawatha State Trail. From these same communities, an old abandoned rail corridor near the route of State Highway 47 may provide the opportunity to connect to the City of Rhinelander. If the rail corridor is not intact, it may be feasible to use roadways and existing trails, since the northern half of the route is through the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest.

Segment 16—Mellen to Hurley

The rail line from Mellen to Hurley could connect the two communities, Copper Falls State Park, and the northeast terminus of the Iron Horse Trail in Hurley. It would also connect up to the proposed Washburn to Spencer and Washburn to Fond du Lac grades, (Segment 17). A portion of the grade follows Highway 77, winding through the rugged hills of the Gogebic Range in Iron County. Highways 77 and 13 were identified in the Wisconsin Bicycle Transportation Plan 2020 and are likely candidates for wider paved shoulders improving accommodations for bicyclists and hikers.

This grade is a federally granted right-of-way that is under study by the federal Bureau of Land Management and the Wisconsin Attorney General's Office. Once ownership is clarified, the DNR will know how, and if, to proceed on other federally granted right-of-ways in the state.

The Iron County Board favors this acquisition and will assume development and operation of the trail if acquired. The proposed route of the North Country Trail approximately parallels the Mellen to Hurley corridor its entire length.

Segment 17—Washburn to Abbotsford (Northern Region)

This is a major, 135-mile-long, north-south corridor that uses rail line from Washburn to Ashland to Prentice, the 26-mile-long Pine Line Trail from Prentice to Medford, and rail line from Medford to Abbotsford where it links with Segment 50 in the West Central Region.

This segment also links to the Tri-County Trail in Ashland, the Mellen to Hurley grade, the North Country National Scenic Trail, Copper Falls State Park near Mellen, the Tuscobia State Trail in Park Falls and the Dresser to Cavour line. This corridor, if acquired, would be a major link in the Northern Region to many of the other proposed trail routes. Right now most of corridor is active rail line.

This proposed corridor runs from the Bayfield Peninsula of Lake Superior through heavily forested lands in Ashland and Price Counties, and the Chequamegon National Forest. The proposed corridor crosses many streams and runs adjacent a great majority of northern landscape features such as bogs, lakes, and wet and dry forests.

Segment 18—Tomahawk to Wausau (Northern Region)

From the end of the Bearskin/Hiawatha Trail in Tomahawk, this corridor would go south to Merrill, and then into the West Central Region terminating in Wisconsin Dells. Part of State Highway 107 has wide shoulders to accommodate bicycles and was identified in the Wisconsin Bicycle Transportation Plan 2020. When the remaining section of highway is reconstructed, wide shoulders will be included. Going south this corridor links to Wausau, it could link up to Mountain Bay Trail from there via road corridors.

Segment 19 – Langlade Co. to Michigan

This abandoned rail corridor links the State of Michigan with the Mountain Bay Trail near Eland in Marathon County. It passes through a few state wildlife areas and some county forests. This corridor also links to the proposed Three Lakes to Rhinelander and Crandon to Tomahawk abandoned rail corridors, the Washburn to Rhinelander corridor at Monico and the Antigo to White Lake proposed corridor. The segment includes a loop to the Crandon to White Lake proposed corridor. The grade runs through portions of Langlade County Forest, the lake area around Kempster in Langlade County and the popular tourist areas of Three Lakes and Eagle River in Vilas County.

Segment 20 – Florence County – UP Michigan to UP Michigan through Florence County Link

This abandoned rail corridor is owned by DOT with a few possible reversions. Florence County uses the corridor for trail purposes via a use agreement with DOT. A partnering effort with the State of Michigan could allow a connection between the two state trail systems via this corridor, including the Cavour to Michigan corridor, the Langlade County to Michigan corridor, the Mellen to Hurley corridor, and the Washburn to Hurley corridor. This allows trail users loop connections in Wisconsin to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Segment 56 - Argonne to Shawano

This is an active rail corridor with abandonment expected in fall of 2000 on the segment from Crandon to White Lake. Argonne is on the Dresser to Michigan corridor in the north, and Shawano links to the Mountain Bay Trail in the south of the corridor. The Crandon to Tomahawk corridor and the White Lake to Antigo corridor link to the Langlade County to Michigan corridor to form a loop. An old abandoned corridor east of White Lake in the future could link this corridor to the Nicolet State Trail or connect it to road routes. This corridor runs along the east shore of Lake Metonga at Crandon, then runs south through forested lake areas of the Nicolet National Forest. In Langlade County it follows the Wolf River for about seven miles and continues south through the Northwest portion of the Menominee Indian Reservation, terminating at Shawano and its connection to the Mountain Bay Trail.

Segment 62 - Reserve to Wheeler

This segment’s abandoned rail corridor is largely privately owned. From Wheeler to Ridgeland the trail corridor would follow various roadways. From Ridgeland to Barron to Rice Lake the rail grade is still intact in many places. Some of this corridor serves as city street in Rice Lake or County Trunk Highway F in Barron and Sawyer Counties. The northern terminus of the trail occurs on the Lac Court Orielles Reservation in Sawyer County. This corridor connects with the Dresser to Cameron proposed corridor, the Wild Rivers, and Tuscobia trails. It passes through county forest and by a few state wildlife areas, the lakes area of Rice Lake and rolling agricultural lands in southern Barron County.

Segment 63 - Cornell to Chelsea

Beginning at the Old Abe Trail in the West Central Region, this abandoned rail corridor passes through some state wildlife areas and a portion of the Chequamegon National Forest to connect with the Pine Line Trail between Prentice and Medford. Since this corridor was abandoned many years ago portions of the grade may not be available due to property reversions. Road routes may be the only way to connect significant portions of this corridor from Cornell to Chelsea.

Segment 64 - Ladysmith to Marshfield

This abandoned rail corridor from Ladysmith to Marshfield intersects the Cornell to Chelsea corridor in Taylor. This corridor passes a few state wildlife areas and crosses the Jump River. This small segment is a medium priority for acquisition in the Northern Region.

Segment 65 - Loretta to Grand View

This abandoned rail corridor starts from the Tuscobia Trail in Loretta and heads north through the Chequamegon National Forest to Clam Lake and Grand View where it then would connect with the Bayfield to Hudson corridor. Some of this corridor is now used for roads and these possibly could be upgraded for trail use. This corridor passes through the area where elk reintroduction began.

Segment 68 - Rhinelander to Three Lakes

This abandoned rail corridor would link these two communities via an off-road connection. At Rhinelander, links to the Washburn to Fond du Lac corridor, and at Three Lakes links to the Langlade County to Michigan corridor are possible. Significant bike trail interest has occurred in Oneida County in the last three years. Strong support can be expected for this connector trail.

Segment 69 - Tomahawk to Crandon

This abandoned corridor would link these two communities via an off-road connector. This corridor intersects the Langlade County to Michigan corridor at Pelican Lake and links the Argonne to Shawano corridor in the east with the Tomahawk to Wausau corridor in the west. This short linking corridor provides opportunity to access the very popular Hiawatha-Bearskin Trail from other corridors to the east. The corridor runs through primarily heavily forested lands in Lincoln and Langlade Counties.

Segment 70 - Antigo to White Lake

This abandoned rail grade links these two communities via off-road connector. At Antigo it connects to the Langlade County to Michigan corridor and at White Lake it connects to the Crandon to White Lake rail segment about to be abandoned. The corridor runs through the Antigo flats to the Wolf River at White Lake.

2001 Wisconsin State Trails Network Plan

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